Northern Long Eared Bat "threatened"

Today, the US Fish &
Wildlife Service announced that it will place the Northern Long Eared Bat
on the "Threatened” List, according to the Endangered Species Act. The
bat is threatened by the White Nose Syndrome (WNS) disease and is not affected
by forest management activities. However, with that determination,
USF&WS has issued an interim 4(d) rule which allows exceptions for certain
activities in areas impacted by the White Nose Syndrome (WNS). Forest
management and timber harvests are included in the exceptions, with the
following provisions:

There are no
prohibitions on forest management outside the WNS buffer zone;

There are no
prohibitions on forest management outside a 0.25 mile radius from a known,
occupied hibernacula;

Certain timber
harvests including clearcuts, seed tree cuts, shelterwoods, and coppice cuts
should be "avoided” within 0.25 mile radius of a known, occupied roost tree
during the June 1-July 31 "pup” season;

In addition, the
occupied roost trees during the pup season should not be cut or destroyed.

The interim rule will not become
final until a later date, probably later in the year. USF&WS will
continue to take comments on that rule.